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Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:50 am
by arpthark

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:52 am
by matt g
That’s pretty awesome! I’m pretty sure that the upright bell fits those from a more modern King.

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 8:01 am
by arpthark
Curious to see how high bidding goes on those.

Some Texan on here better nab one.

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 10:25 am
by edfirth
Matt. The modern bells fit the C but the Bb tenon is considerably bigger and they are rare as hen's teeth. Kanstul wqs making them to order for awhile. Ed

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 10:33 am
by matt g
edfirth wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2023 10:25 am Matt. The modern bells fit the C but the Bb tenon is considerably bigger and they are rare as hen's teeth. Kanstul wqs making them to order for awhile. Ed
Good to know! That’s too bad.

If I were local I’d probably see what could be done and possibly conjure up something for an upright bell.

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 8:12 pm
by gnimoyw
Very obvious question - are these BBb or CC? Any idea what models these are or other details?

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 8:22 pm
by arpthark
I think they are CC but not sure. The wrap is very similar to King "monster" rotary valve CCs, at least the main bugle.

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2023 7:17 am
by DonO.
Aren’t these the same as the ones Bill Bell poses with for his album covers and publicity photos? Only his had the upright bell.

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2023 7:24 am
by edfirth
The horn in the picture is a Bb there were supposedly about 100 Bb's and 7 to 17 C's' The C's were .687 bore and about the size of a 186 Mirafone while the Bb's were .750 bore and physically much bigger. They started production early on during the great depression and wrapped it up at the end of WW2. I have a Bb that I'm extremely fond of.Ed

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2023 7:57 am
by bloke
I worked on a really pretty B flat one time that I'm pretty sure had a .750" bore, so maybe a "giant" or whatever King called the size larger than four quarter. It had a recording bell. Somebody had prettied it all up and silver plated it, the owner busted the thumb ring off the flange, and I had to get the flange off, braze the ring back on, pretty it up, silver plate the ring flange, and get it back on the instrument without screwing up the silver. I did a good job for the guy, but never got any feedback. I don't need feedback I don't suppose. I just need to be paid. LOL

Anyway, that's my only experience with any of those. I wish I knew more about them.

Most people report that the tuning on the rare ones in C is consistently wretched, do they not?

The only other experience I've had with that long long lever string linkage system was with a incredibly rare Kruspe kaiser B-flat. Slow slow valves.

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2023 9:12 am
by gnimoyw
edfirth wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 7:24 am The horn in the picture is a Bb there were supposedly about 100 Bb's and 7 to 17 C's' The C's were .687 bore and about the size of a 186 Mirafone while the Bb's were .750 bore and physically much bigger. They started production early on during the great depression and wrapped it up at the end of WW2. I have a Bb that I'm extremely fond of.Ed
Thank you! I’m within driving range and keeping an eye on this jjsr for the cool factor though I suspect they’ll go for more than I want to spend.

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2023 11:12 am
by arpthark
These ended up going for $4,751, and plus taxes and fees came to $5,785. That's a pretty penny for two of these!

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2023 11:20 am
by gnimoyw
Yes, much higher than I was willing to pay - hopefully the new owner is happy with 'em!

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:16 am
by tofu
:smilie7:

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 7:22 am
by arpthark
tofu wrote: Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:16 am
arpthark wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 11:12 am These ended up going for $4,751, and plus taxes and fees came to $5,785. That's a pretty penny for two of these!

So there were 2 rotary valve tubas? I didn't realise that.
Yep, two silver rotary valve Kings (apparently B-flats) that had probably been in storage for the past 40-50 years.

Re: Texas Tech surplus: King rotary valve tubas

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 7:29 am
by bort2.0
"Not it!"